Fabio Capello ‘strong enough to deal with England criticism’

Fabio Capello has admitted it feels as though the clock has been wound right back to when he was first appointed England manager.

England manager Fabio Capello imparts some advice to John Terry against Algeria

After arriving at the World Cup with such high hopes following a qualifying campaign where they registered nine wins from ten matches, the Three Lions’ collapse has been as unexpected as it has been sudden.

But Capello insists he can still turn England’s World Cup campaign around.

‘I am strong enough to deal with it,’ he said.

‘I work hard and I prepare everything. That is important.

‘Every morning I look in the mirror and ask whether I have worked and whether I have studied everything. Yes I have.

‘For this reason I will accept the criticism and everything. I don’t know what the result will be but I do know the result is the most important thing.’

Draws in their opening two matches were bad enough.

But the manner of the performances, particularly against Algeria in Cape Town on Friday, have been so poor there is genuine uncertainty over whether England can claim the victory over Slovenia in their final Group C game that would book their place in the knockout stages.

And Capello has been stunned by the downturn in fortunes.

‘It is not easy to understand what happened in the minds of the players,’ he said.

‘I remember sometimes, because of the pressure, it happened to me during a game.

‘I am not criticising the players. Fear stops the legs, the mind and everything. I just hope for a reaction.’

The Italian has been given a vote of confidence ahead of the Slovenia showdown.

Senior Football Association officials have offered their backing, with new Club England chief executive Adrian Bevington telling the BBC: ‘Fabio was given a contract until 2012 and nothing has changed in that respect.

‘Our position was very clear when we dealt with this three or four weeks ago.

‘All we are concentrating on is getting a win on Wednesday and trying to get through to the next round.’